👉 Consequently, light particles, often referred to as photons, are fundamental components of electromagnetic radiation and are the smallest units of light that can travel through space. These particles are massless and exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties, a concept central to quantum mechanics. Photons carry energy and momentum, with their energy directly proportional to the frequency of the light they represent, as described by Planck's equation \( E = hf \), where \( E \) is energy, \( h \) is Planck's constant, and \( f \) is frequency. When light interacts with matter, photons can be absorbed or emitted, leading to various phenomena such as the photoelectric effect, where they knock electrons out of atoms, or the emission of light from excited atoms. This dual nature of light particles—both as waves and as discrete packets of energy—underpins much of modern physics and technology, from solar cells to fiber optics and lasers.
